Overnight news.

Board Backs Off Boundary Changes

December 07, 1999|By Rob Smith.

DISTRICT 300 — After promising to equally overcrowd all schools through drastic boundary changes, the Community Unit School District 300 Board of Education, during a work session Monday night, came to a consensus that students should remain where they are.

While an official vote won't be taken until Monday's board meeting, the board appears ready to strike down a proposal made by the district's principals a week ago.

That proposal called for the creation of a large middle school at Westfield Community School, currently kindergarten through 8th grade, and turning Dundee Middle School into a large elementary facility.

Possibly fearing another failed referendum if unpopular boundary changes are implemented, the board now wants to look at adding mobile classrooms at schools rather than moving students to handle the overcrowding. Board member Jill Grung said she received 36 letters concerning the most recent boundary proposals. "Thirty-five said that if you do this rezoning we're not going to pass the referendum (issue)."

Steven Guetschow, board president, said a new plan should try to keep students at their home school, utilize mobile classrooms and any available space.

Supt. Norman Wetzel asked the board to be clear, at Monday's meeting, in giving directions to district staff as to the specific parameters of a new plan. He also asked that the principals be excused from this process so that they can "do the work they were hired to do."